Stanford E. Murrell
In the Biblical world, one of the highest gifts that could be bestowed upon a person was a blessing.
To be blessed was to be favored.
To be favored was to be honored.
To be honored was to be happy.
As a Believer-Priest in the Royal Family of God, I wish to bestow on you today, a blessing, not as a final benediction, but as the essence of life itself, for time and eternity. With heads bowed and hearts opened, receive now a blessing from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
“The Lord bless you,
and keep you from every form of harmful behavior,
to yourself, and to others,
that you may do good,
all the days of your life.
May the Lord make His face shine on you
that you may remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
and never turn from the One who loved you
before you were born,
and made you in a wonderfully way to enjoy life,
and that more abundantly.
May God be gracious to you,
so that you live life without regret,
and without shame.
May the Lord turn His face toward you,
so that you never have to turn your face from Him,
in sadness, sorrow, and unbelief.
May the Lord give you peace,
such as the world cannot give,
as you consider a career choice,
whom to marry, and where to live.
May you have peace with God
through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
May you experience the peace of God
in every difficult situation in life,
for my God will meet all your needs,
according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.
May you have peace from God,
when you need it most,
in times of sickness, loss,
and making important decisions.
May the Lord make all your plans succeed.
For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
I command you today to love the Lord your God,
to walk in obedience to Him,
and to keep His commands, decrees, and laws;
Then, you will live and increase,
and the Lord your God will bless you
in the future you are entering to possess.
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
On the contrary, repay hurt with love,
because to this you were called
so that you may inherit a blessing.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Now Heavenly Father, confirm this blessing given to this day to all the graduates in the class of 2023, from your heart to the ears of another, for their good, and your glory. Amen.
